Occupation: American author; Vice president of the Anti-Imperialist League from 1901 until his death in 1910
Position on issue: Mark Twain weighed in with cynical attacks at a roaming American government that was betraying the principles it allegedly upheld; Anti-imperialist. The United States does not intend to free, but to subjugate the people of the Philippines, we have gone there to conquer, not to redeem. " I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.”
List of reasons for interest in topic: Opposition to the war influenced Mark Twain to found the Anti-Imperialists League on June 15. 1898 to battle the American annexation of the Philippines as an "insular" area. The anti-imperialists opposed the expansion because they believed imperialism violated the credo of republicanism especially the need for the “consent of the governed.”
The League declared: "is hostile to liberty and tends towards militarism, an evil from which it is our glory to be free." The "large policy" of global expansion would mean never-ending war and preparation for war; and that would mean ever-increasing government control and ever-higher taxes.
Works Cited:
"American Foreign Policy -- The Turning Point, 1898-1919, Part 3." Welcome to The Future of Freedom Foundation. Web. 27 Mar. 2011. <http://www.fff.org/freedom/0495d.asp>.
"Mark Twain and the Onset of the Imperialist Period Imperialist Period." Internationalist Group -- Reforge the Fourth International! Web. 27 Mar. 2011. <http://www.internationalist.org/marktwain3.html>.
Anti-imperialist
Occupation: American author; Vice president of the Anti-Imperialist League from 1901 until his death in 1910
Position on issue: Mark Twain weighed in with cynical attacks at a roaming American government that was betraying the principles it allegedly upheld; Anti-imperialist. The United States does not intend to free, but to subjugate the people of the Philippines, we have gone there to conquer, not to redeem. " I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.”
List of reasons for interest in topic: Opposition to the war influenced Mark Twain to found the Anti-Imperialists League on June 15. 1898 to battle the American annexation of the Philippines as an "insular" area. The anti-imperialists opposed the expansion because they believed imperialism violated the credo of republicanism especially the need for the “consent of the governed.”
The League declared: "is hostile to liberty and tends towards militarism, an evil from which it is our glory to be free." The "large policy" of global expansion would mean never-ending war and preparation for war; and that would mean ever-increasing government control and ever-higher taxes.
Works Cited:
"American Foreign Policy -- The Turning Point, 1898-1919, Part 3." Welcome to The Future of Freedom Foundation. Web. 27 Mar. 2011. <http://www.fff.org/freedom/0495d.asp>.
"Mark Twain and the Onset of the Imperialist Period Imperialist Period." Internationalist Group -- Reforge the Fourth International! Web. 27 Mar. 2011. <http://www.internationalist.org/marktwain3.html>.
"Mark Twain on Imperialism - HistoryWiz Primary Source Imperialism." HistoryWiz: for Students, Teachers and Lovers of History. Web. 27 Mar. 2011. <http://www.historywiz.com/primarysources/marktwain-imperialism.htm>.